Vindicated
by Anthraxy
Summary: As he lay dying in that forest Itachi had an epiphany... ItaSaku slight SasuSaku
1. And so it begins

**A/N: **FFFF I've been wanting to do this idea for a while now :3 I doubt it's original or whatever and blahblahblah, but whatevers ;D

lol I dunno, I'm using this plot in a roleplay with my friend, so that's what inspired me I guess 8D

ItaSaku as always~ lol with obvious SasuSaku becuase it's needed for the plot :b

**Disclaimer: **Don't own naruto or the characters mkay.

* * *

The clock seemed to stop only a minuet before her shift was over. She shifted nervously as she watched the hand slowly begin to move, finally signaling the end of her shift. A sigh of relief escaped her as she slid into the backroom and changed into her normal clothes, then strode back out.

He was waiting for her, as always. A tiny smile was across his face and his onyx eyes had finally grown softer when they fell onto her. Six months. It'd been six months since Uchiha Sasuke had gotten his revenge by killing his brother and returned to the village. Six months since he'd hugged her in the first time for years. Six months since he had said 'I love you.' And only three months since he'd asked her to marry him. Sakura walked over to the man and they left the hospital their hands intertwined.

The cold winter air stung at Sakura's cheeks, but she didn't mind to much. Her and Sasuke were waiting for either spring or summer to have their wedding, though they were planning it out now so they wouldn't have to rush. A comfortable silence fell between the two. Sakura smiled as she remembered the day he'd come back. To her surprise he had hugged her, she had slapped him. He had said he loved her, and well...she had slapped him again.

It only went uphill from that.

"Sakura-chan, I have a mission to go on." his voice suddenly broke the silence, Sakura looking up at him, a sigh escaping her.

"I figured as much," she paused as she motioned to his ANBU outfit, "when will you be back?"

"Sometime tomorrow, or possibly the day after." he said. She sighed again, and squeezed his hand lightly before their course veered towards the village gate. She didn't like him going on theses night time mission, they caused her to worry, but there was nothing she could do. Besides Sasuke had killed Itachi, he proved her was more then worthy of going on tought missions and coming back completely unharmed. They paused at the gates, sharing a deep kiss before he took his leave, Sakura making her way back to their house.

They had debated on the Uchiha manor, but Sasuke had too many painful memories there and the two ended up getting a nice sized house near the outskirts of Konoha. It gave them what they both liked, privacy. The couple had been followed by some people for some time during the first few months, especially when word got out that they were engaged. Questions pertaining to the wedding, and a more sensitive subject of when they planned to have kids were abundant. Finally everything calmed down, leaving the two to plan their wedding, and future, in peace with their close friends.

Sakura made herself a cup of tea and went upstairs to their bedroom where she got changed into her night clothes.

Sakura fiddled with the ring on her finger for a moment, a wide set smile across her face. It was beautiful a pure white diamond, with two tiny ones in the band. Sakura didn't wear it on missions though, it was far to precious to chance getting lost. She grabbed her tea and made her way onto the balcony, staring at the dark winter sky.

* * *

His movements were silent as ever, as if he was a ghost or shadow that blended in with the night, leaving no trace he'd ever been there. He halted, perched atop of rooftop and hidden by the shadow that the massive tree next to the house cast. Crimson eyes cast a red gleam through the thick shadows. The soft sound of footsteps rang loudly in his well trained ears, ensuring it was nearly time to execute his plan for revenge.

Uchiha Itachi had not died on the day Sasuke had thought he'd gotten his revenge. Though he had finally rid the world of the fiend that plagued his part and was the sole reason he had become so bitter. Sasuke had won that day, but Itachi certainly was not dead. Simply weakened to the point of near death he had managed to crawl into the forest. Itachi was a prodigy, all his skills coming in and the basic instinct to survive too strong to let him die. Now the whole world thought of him as dead- Konoha, Sasuke, all of the Akatsuki including Madara, all of them believed the Uchiha had met his final resting place on that dark day.

But oh no, the Uchiha prodigy was still haunting the world, as dangerous and deadly as ever. And now he was about to make a move that would have a drastic move on Konoha, and his foolish little brother.

It was for no personal gain other then that feeling as sick satisfaction that he'd destroyed his little brother's mental stability. He'd grown to hate Sasuke after their last encounter, every ounce of brotherly love he once felt left him all too quickly upon his defeat. As he lay dying in that forest Itachi had an epiphany...realizing that Sasuke was an ungrateful fool, he didn't deserve it, any of it. Itachi had been forced to abandon his feeling, his emotions, his humanity, and murder the people he cared the msot about. He had begged, pleaded to let Sasuke live, to let him keep his life, his innocence, his future. He'd never know about the unspeakable agreement that involved the eradication of the Uchiha clan, and he never would. But the brother who Itachi had loved more then Konoha it's self had grown up only to betray his village and friends. All for the sake of getting his revenge of Itachi.

How dare Sasuke. How dare he turn his back on everything Itachi had given him, his village, his nakama, his friends, his life.

While Itachi danced on the borderline of the afterlife he decided that he did indeed have to live. Had to make sure he got up again. He needed to teacher his younger brother a lesson, show him the pain that Itachi felt. Sasuke thought he knew what pain was did he? Sasuke didn't know anything yet.

Itachi re-opened his eyes as he crept forwards, his gaze falling on the head of pink hair. His younger brother's fiancee, Itachi knew Sasuke loved her, it was all too apparent. Love was a painful thing though. And this girl would be the key to his plan.

By Now Sakura had shifted her position, leaning her back against the edge of the balcony and stared into the bedroom, a content look across her soft features. In an instant Itachi was before his, his crimson eyes capturing her brilliant green once before she had time to think or react. The genjustsu had her in a death grip before she had any chance, spinning her into it's spell. "It's time you slept..." he whispered.

* * *

Sakura felt her head grow heavy, her mind beginning to spin slowly. Her vision blurred as she gazed in deep crimson eyes, a quiet tenor humming in her ears, but barely registering in her mind before she fell into a thick and heavy darkness. It piled on top of her, almost overbearing.

But soon it settled and her almost chaotic state of mind calmed as she entered the welcoming embrace of sleep.

* * *

**A/N: **Annnnd end chapter one!

I need at least one review to continue (though i probably will if not xP) and yeah, reviews will inspire me to update faster, you know all that jazz 8D

Uhh hope you enjoyed it C:


	2. Unanswered Questions

**A/N: **Ugh, been a long time since I updated this story, I've really been meaning to....I just haven't been inspired d: I must get back into my ItaSaku swing, I miss writing about them xD So yeah, I decided to work on this chapter. I want this story to be super amazing though, and am doing my best to...do my best |D I'm going to warn you a head of time though, this chapter may be a little boring, I just needed to update to prove I'm still working on it, and (hopefully) have big plans for this story. SO, I now present to you chapter 2, I do hope you enjoy it nn

* * *

The quiet night air settled around the two figures. Chilled and heavy, it was if the whole world was asleep like the girl in his arms. His eyes slowly turned downward to glance at her features. Her pale skin was illuminated by the moonlight that was thrown upon them, her face taking on a softness in her sleeping state. There was no denying she was lovely, butItachi had to force those thoughts away.

His feet carried himself and the girl silently over the ground, leaving only the night behind them. Finally his steps slowly and he adjusted the small girl in his arms, fishing a key from his pocket. Soon enough he had unlocked the door to a dilapidated warehouse that was located in a remote location off the border of the mist village. It was old, worn out, and the perfect place to keep his younger brother's soon to be bride.

The inside had a sort of musty hint lingering in the air, but Itachi couldn't careless. It's not like he intended to lavish the girl, besides if she woke up tangled in silk sheets well now that wouldn't provide the needed effect. No silk sheets could wait, for now she was stuck with a run down old couch.

Itachi laid the girl down carefully, knowing she wouldn't awaken, yet not taken any chances. His onyx eyes traced over her slender form, but he soon blinked and shook his head a bit. Only one last thing to do, then it'd be safe for her to awaken. With a few quick hand-signs he placed achakra seal on the girl. Wouldn't want her waking up and using a jutsu no would he? Especially in his current state. The Uchiha's body still wasn't fully healed yet, the injuries he'd sustained from battle still littering his body, along with the sickness that had an iron grip on him. The girl would be good for that too,Itachi couldn't be luckier, at least his brother had good taste in women.

* * *

It was quiet. No not quiet..._silent_. She was uncomfortable, cold, an strangely uneasy, had she by chance fallen asleep on her balcony?

She sat up, feeling oddly drained. Her emerald eyes slowly opened, doing their bust to adjust to the darkness that engulfed the majority of the room. The air was stuffy and provoked a quiet sneeze from the pink haired girl. She blinked a few times, straining her eyes in the dimly lit room. Questions piled on top of each other with each slow moment that ticked by, her gaze finally resting on a shady figure. Her face contorted into a scowl.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Sakura snapped, shoving away the fact that she felt so groggy at the moment. Her green eyes narrowed dangerously as the figure stood up then shifted into the dim light. Her eyes widened and she found herself at a loss for words. She quickly averted her gaze from crimson eyes, but disbelief and temptation slowly pulled the man back into her life of vision.

"How..but...but Sasuke-kun h-he killed you." she stammered, clearly straining to force the words out of her throat, finding it hard to speak. She watched the corners of his mouth curl into a small smirk, amusement flashing across his features for a brief moment before his expression turned placid once more. She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, only to have her stomach curl into a knot. This couldn't be happening, she had to be had killed Itachi, he'd been so sure of it.

"Hn, silly girl you really think _I _could be killed?" Itachi questioned in his deep tenor. Of course he wasn't immortal, but it'd play out so much easier for him if the girl believed shook her head and furrowed her brows. The logical, sensible part of her told her he couldn't be immortal, yet still...Sasuke had been so sure Itachi was dead, and the man now stood before her in flesh and blood.

Sakura could only stare at him with a mixture of confusion, anger, and an odd hopelessness. She searched his face, looking for something she didn't quite know herself. Her throat went dry, the ability to speak and think seeming to desert her when she needed them the most. He kept his gaze focused on her face, it was unwavering and unnerved her to no end. Finally she took in a deep breath, allowing the musty air to filter through her lungs. She shook her head a bit, as if the physical motion would really dispel everything that was couldn't tear her gaze off him, and she waited for the man to do something, _anything_, just to end the bitter silence and to answers some of the questions that began to crowd her mind.

She so desperately wanted this to be a joke, for the face of Itachi to melt into the familiar (and strikingly similar) face of Sasuke, and Naruto to jump out from nowhere and yell 'APRIL FOOLS!'

"Wh-what do you want?" she was slowly regaining herself. Forcing herself to remain calm, to keep herself collected, despite her urges to completely freak out. Her voice still wavered slightly, but the girl thought she kept herself together fairly well, for being in the presence of one of the most feared men in the world. A man that was supposed to be dead. Something seemed..._off _about the man though. It'd been six months since his and Sasuke's fight, and she couldn't help but be curious as to the injuries he had sustained. Just how badly had Sasuke beaten him? Obviously enough for her lover to think Itachi was dead. She was pulled from her mental musings as the sound of coughing broke out. She blinked a few times, watching the Uchiha go into a cough fit, hand cupped to his mouth. She could practically smell the blood that seeped into his fingers. She gritted her teeth, realizing he had yet to answer her question.

"Well, answer me." she demanded firmly, finally getting a hold of herself. Perhaps it wasn't wise to be so rash in such a situation, butSakura was desperate for answers. She watched as his eyes narrowed into a scowl, his hand being removed from his mouth as the man stepped closer. He leaned down so they were nearly eye level, his hand gripping her chin tightly.

"You're in no position to speak to me in such a way." he hissed, glowering at her dangerously. Another lump formed in her throat, but she forced it down, taking the chance to study his face now that he was closer. He seemed drained, and yet ever so dangerous. She guessed he still had injuries from his battle, and she wondered just how well his eyes worked. It was very likely unless he was very close to someone or something he could only recognize colors and shapes. BrieflySakura wondered if those tired, and deadly eyes would be the last thing she saw before he killed her. She waited for it, waited for him to capture her in that deadlyjutsu , and dispose of her without so much as even enlightening the girl as to why she was there. But no, it seemed her death wouldn't be just yet. His hand dropped and he straightened up,Sakura noticing how he faltered just a bit. The Uchiha sank into a chair, obviously tired and seemingly worn out. That reminded her of how tired she felt, her muscles stiff.

Sakura's blood ran cold as she realized something. That warm, comforting feeling her chakra always seemed to give her wasn't there. It was as if she'd been sleeping, and someone ripped the blanket off her, leaving her with only coldness. Her emerald eyes widened a bit as she jerked her gaze to her hands, desperately trying to workchakra into them. Her efforts were in vain, and she shot a glare at the man, knowing all too well what he'd done to her. It made sense though, for him not to take any risk, though she expected nothing less from the man, expecting him to be two steps away of the game.

The two stayed silent, Itachi coughing once in a while. She was doing her best to keep herself level headed, calm, collected, almost like the man that sat across from her. Her thoughts were thrown all over the place, everything being turned upside was alive, and for one reason or another had taken her to some dying building, planning god knows what. She was still getting past the initial shock of the man being thought about, and despite her better judgment came to a conclusion on one subject.

"If you let me go....I won't breath a word of your being alive." she said, shattering the silence. He quirked a brow at the girl, studying her face carefully.

"And why's that?" he asked in a smooth voice. She averted his eyes to the ground, squeezing the thin blanket that rested over her bare legs for a few moments.

"Because....because if Sasuke-kun knew you were alive he'd...he'd..." she trailed off for a moment, letting out a quiet sigh as she regathered herself before continuing, "ifSasuke-kun knew you were alive then he would leave and come after you." she finished. Sakura didn't know what she'd do if Sasuke left again, she'd lost him once, and couldn't bear the thought of losing him again. She didn't even consider the fact that she was the one who was gone this time, but then again she'd been had left of his own free will. Itachi only stared at her with hos cold eyes, his expression not changing in the slightest.

Before Sakura knew it her lids grew heavy, the girl feeling that same sudden tired she'd experienced on her balcony. She managed to move into a laying position before nodding off into a restless sleep with the aid of a jutsu, her mind still riddled with questions.

* * *

Itachi watched the girl as she spoke about her fiance, his younger brother, with slight interest. He could tell how the simple thought of losing him tore her apart, though she did her best to hide it. He had to admit Sakura did a fairly decent job at keeping her emotions under check, doing better then most, but her composure still slipped up. Through their brief conversation (if it could be called that,Itachi hardly said anything to her) his interest in the pinkette only grew, much to his dismay. She was a curious creature, daring to look him dead on in the eyes, and even having the audacity to demand answers from him. She was a brave one, that was for sure, and somewhere inside of his mind he was pleased with her feisty attitude. TheUchiha knew he shouldn't be, knew he shouldn't be taking such an interest in her, and yet he still did.

His gaze wandered over her form as she slept. The fabric that rested atop her was really a pathetic excuse for a blanket, and he could see her body shiver from the cold that lingered in the air. He turned his attention to her face, it was amazing how peaceful one could look while they were asleep. The spark of anger, frustration, and fear that crossed in her eyes and effected her expressions was no longer there, softening her features incredibly.

Her attitude did serve as a problem, as interesting and somewhat amusing it was. She was going to be less likely to cooperate, he really had hoped this plan wouldn't be too difficult. No matter, theses were only minor setbacks, if they could even be called that. After all,Uchiha Itachi was always known for being two steps ahead. A quiet sigh left him as he pushed himself up slowly, so that he wouldn't get light headed. He may still be suffering from injury and illness, but that wasn't going to get in his way, not even his ever waning eyesight would stop him, even if he went completely blind. A quiet voice mused about how it'd be a shame if he did end up blind, he rather liked looking at the girl's pretty face. Shaking the nonsense thought awayItachi left the building, making sure the girl couldn't escape if she happened to awaken before he returned.

* * *

**A/N: **Ah, like I said this chapter is kinda boring, I promise it'll pick up more, and get more into the plot as it progresses, just like I said I kinda needed a sorta filler to show I'm still working on this thing |D; I do hope you enjoyed it, and it didn't suck too bad nn and remember reviews make me a happy camper :'D


	3. Fretful Thoughts

**A/N: **-legasp- A new chapter yay -dances- Yesh, I wanted to finish this a few days ago, buuuuut yeah obviously that didn't happen xD BUT It's up now nn This chapter is a little longer then the others, though the story may still be a little slow, just as a warning. I know I keep promising it'll pick up soon, and I think it just might in the next chapter, uhh patience is key my friends xD

* * *

Sakura pulled the pathetic excuse for a blanket closer to her, a vain attempt to gain a little warmth. She shifted on the uncomfortable bed, her muscles tense and sore. Her eyes opened half way and she glared at the wall miserably. She could faintly hear the sound of the wind as it ran by the building, but otherwise everything was quiet. Sakura didn't like it, no she absolutely hated it. It made her feel completely alone, though at the moment she was.

She had awoken with the hopes of everything being a dream. But her hopes had soon been yanked out from under her. She was still in this rotting old building, her chakra buried somewhere far away, her hopes of getting out burred there too. She was still wired with questions, and aching to get answers to them, though a sneaking suspicion told he she wasn't going to get them until the Uchiha that held her here saw fit. She rolled over onto her stomach, pressing her face against the thin pillow. It smelt old, and dirty, but she didn't care at the moment. She didn't care about anything. All she wanted was for this sickening nightmare to be over with. So she could be back in Sasuke's arms, laughing and smiling smiling, not laying her, shivering, on the verge of tears, and fearing for her life. She bit the inside of her cheek, pressing her face harder into pillow.

A quiet noises sounded in hear ears, the undeniable sound of a door closing. She could only pull the blanket over her head then wish and pray that it was someone who was here to save her. Sasuke was her preferred choice, But Naruto, or Kakashi, or even Sai, Ino, Tsunade could work. Just _someone_. The pinkette knew that wasn't the case though, as so far no one had called out her name in a worry filled voice. There was only the quiet shuffling of footsteps. Sakura feigned sleep, not wanting to interact with her captor at the moment, or at all really.

"I know you're awake."

She silently scolded herself for thinking she could get away with pretending to sleep. Sakura ignored him though, keeping her eyes shut, her grip on the thin blanket that covered her tightening. A soft clinking sound registered in her mind, it was near her head and sounded like something clattering against the side of a bowl. The blanket was tugged off her, and she instantly jerked her head up, green eyes narrowed into a glare. She shifted to a siting position, knowing shutting her eyes and pretending he wasn't there wouldn't work any longer, no matter how much she wished it would.

"Eat." he commanded. It took her a moment to really register what he'd said, the idea that she was going to get something to eat never even crossing through her mind. She noticed a stick of dango in his mouth, and shifted her attention to a bowl that was by the pillow, three sticks of dango in the object. Slowly she grabbed the bowl, looking at the treats as if there were poisoned, despite them being one of her favorite treats. Surely theses weren't healthy, and if she wasn't in her current situation she would have reprimanded the man on his choice of foods, even ramen would have been better then this.

She glanced back at the man, eying him cautiously as she delicately picked up a stick on dango. Really she didn't know if she could stomach food right now, and didn't even _want _to try, but slowly she took a small bite.

* * *

Itachi wasn't surprised that the girl had pretended to be asleep, and really he would have let her do so, but he knew it'd be best if she got food into her system, even if the food was nothing more then a sugary treat that hardly provided any nutrients. He was almost surprised she didn't argue or refuse to eat, though he supposed it made sense. The girl was a medic nin, and knew it'd be best to eat the food to ensure she kept her strength up, even if her chakra was locked away. She really was a smart good, and once more Itachi was praising his brother on his taste in women.

He ate his own dango in an absent minded manner, staring off into space as quiet settled around the two. He finished his rather quickly, his attention shifting back to the pink haired girl. She stared down at the two remaining sticks of dango before setting the bowl down. Her eyes remained downcast as she began to rub her arms, and even with his waning eyesight Itachi could tell she was shivering. He got up from his seat and disappeared for a moment before returning with what was once his Akatsuki cloak. The man threw it at the girl before sitting back down.

"Wh-what?" she asked, looking up at him with wide eyes.

"Put it on." he ordered. She chewed on her lower lip for a moment before pulling the to big cloak on, an almost comforted look on her face as her bare skin was covered up. The cloak wasn't exactly in prime condition, marked with a few rips, some blood stains, and didn't fit the girl's small fame, but it'd still keep her warm. He turned his gaze to the window, it was just about sunset.

* * *

Sakura relished in the warmth the cloak provided her. She had been tempted to be stubborn, rather freeze her ass off then appease the man, but really if she did that she'd just be an idiot. At least now she was more comfortable, and maybe she could think properly now that she wasn't suffering from the cold. She looked at Itachi, squinting her eyes a bit in the dim lighting. He seemed tired, she noted, and almost distracted as he gazed out the window. She knew that wasn't the case though, she may not know the man personally, but she was fairly certain he wasn't the type to get distracted no matter the situation. Her guess was he was thinking, planning, scheming, or something else along those lines. Maybe about how he was going to kill her. Perhaps the man had planted evidence that made it seem like another village had kidnapped her, then was going to kill her and dump her body on the border of said village and start a war.

She nearly snorted at the thought of it, that was pretty outrageous.

* * *

Another day passed. Sakura still had yet to get any answers from the man, and by this point had even attempted an escape during one of the times he left. It had failed seeing as he placed a seal around the old building, one she normally could have broken, but due to having her chakra sealed off that was impossible. At one point she examined her stomach where the chakra seal manifested, she wasn't too experienced when it came to seals, but guessed her chakra would be blocked off for at least a month unless it was removed.

Over the time span Sakura watched the Uchiha carefully. They didn't speak much, aside from her once in a while demanding an answer as to why she was hear and never receiving one. Normally she enjoyed the quiet, but this time it wasdifferent . She disliked the silence that surrounded her when the man was around, it made her feel to uneasy, like the dust ridden air was strangling her. She had to admit that watching the man was...interesting for lack of a better word. He didn't move around a lot, and obviously didn't want to put a strain on his body. At times he'd go into coughing fits that resulted in him cough up blood, and it took all of Sakura's will power not to ask if she could take a look at him. Besides it wouldn't do any damn good without her chakra...and she didn't want to help the man. After all he was the one who kidnapped her, and was keeping her here without even letting her know why, she really shouldn't feel sorry for him. And yet...she did, but Sakura ignored the fact for now.

* * *

Itachi made his way back to the old warehouse, his onyx gaze tilted upwards towards the darkening sky, a bag in his hand. They needed to get going soon, after all he hadn't intended on staying in the old building forever, that'd be no way to finish his plans. He already knew where he wanted to go. The shortest route, regrettably, went through some major cities. They'd do their resting at smaller towns though, mainly ones travelers passed through, ones that weren't too educated on the ninja aspect. But he still faced one major problem, getting the girl to go willingly. It'd be much easier on him if she didn't put up a fight, or if he didn't have to put her under a jutsu and carry her all they way there. He needed to convince her to come along quietly and cooperate, though he had a feeling it might be difficult.

Then again, Itachi always did have a way with words, and she did seem like a smart girl.

He entered the building to find the girl examining the seal that formed upon her stomach. She instantly pulled down her shirt when he came into the room, glaring at him as she opened her mouth to speak. "I got you some clothes." he said as he dropped the bag on the bed. Sakura scrunched up her nose, but looked in the bag none the less. The clothes weren't anything special or extravagant, all of them black. A tank top, a short sleeved shirt, pants, shoes, and a looked at him again and chewed on her lower lip, obviously inwardly debating on if she should thank him or not. He cut off her thinking.

"Get changed, we're leaving tonight." he said simply. She blinked a few times before glaring at him.

"Hmph, what's all this we business?! I'm not going anywhere with you." the girl snapped back, Itachi hadn't expected anything less.

"Yes you are Sakura. It'd be easier on both of us if you went along without a fight. I assure you I won't bring you any harm so long as you cooperate." he replied calmly. Sakura furrowed her brows and after a few long moments of silence spoke.

"Fine Itachi," she spat out his name like it was a disease, "I'll go along with you, but you have to tell me just what your plans are." she finished.

"All in good time Sakura. I promise you'll know soon enough, just have a little patience." he said and slipped out of the room. He heard a quiet curse from her, but was rather pleased she didn't argue further. She was a smart girl after all, though he knew he'd have to keep a close eye on her in case she tried to make any escape plans.

A sound perked his interest, distracting him from his previous thoughts. It was the sound of...voices? Ah yes, seemed like some people were whispering just outside the building. No did not seem, there were people just outside the building, he could sense their chakra signatures, two jounin, two chunin, and three genin. Normally this wouldn't be too much of a problem, but at the moment Itachi was in no mood to be caught in a battle. And chances are in this area he'd be recognized rather quickly. The Uchiha returned to the room Sakura was in, grabbed a pack off a chair, then walked over to the girl (who had thankfully changed her clothes) and picked her up, holding her under his arm and against his hip.

"H-hey!" she protested as she was lifted up, but he ignored her as he grabbed the bag that held her clothes and his old Akatsuki cloak (she'd shoved it in there) and then headed for the back exit. Instead of fumbling with keys he simply kicked it open and took off at a slow jog, just as the front door busted up. Sakura's protest continued, but he stopped soon enough and set her down, a stern look in his onyx eyes. Her nose scrunched up and she glared at him.

* * *

Really she knew she could have argued more, protested, refused to go with the man. But Sakura knew it'd be in her best interest if she just cooperated for now. She had to bite her tongue to keep any words from slipping out. _'Don't worry Sakura, you'll get out of this soon enough, you just have to keep a calm, level head and remember to think things through. Rash actions will get you nowhere.' _Sakura told herself, taking deep breaths as she changed into the clothes the man had brought her. She was just pulling on the shoes when he returned into the room and, rudely, picked her up as if she was nothing more then a rag doll.

She protested the action, her head tilted up so she could glare at him, the girl squirming in his grasp, but his grip didn't falter. Finally he set her down, and her glare deepened.

"And just what the hell was that all about?!" she demanded as she cocked her hips to the side and placed her hands on them. Itachi sharp look didn't change, if anything it intensified, though Sakura did her best not to be fazed by it, instead only quirking a brow and giving him a 'Well I'm waiting' sort of look. "Though I doubt you'll tell me anyways, you haven't exactly proven to be the most open kidnapper when it comes to your reasoning as to why you do things." she added with an exasperated sigh, rubbing her temples as a headache started to form due to the build up of frustrating questions that still remained unanswered. She was soabsorbed in her humming head that she didn't notice the faint look of amusement that flashed over his face, but it was gone as quickly as it had come.

"That is of no importance, now come along girl, and don't even think of attempting to escape." his words were dangerous and threatening, and despite how much Sakura wanted to keep her composure she found herself shaken a bit. She chewed on her lower lip, unspoken defiance still shining in her emerald eyes. He shoved the bag of clothes at her, the girl taking them before they fell to the ground. Without another word he began walking. Sakura remained standing there, feet planted firmly in the ground.

"You better start walking. I don't want to use force, but I will if I have to, and you're in no position to fight back." his voice wrapped around her ear drums and reluctantly she followed the man, having to keep her pace a bit quicker then normally to keep up with his longer strides. Night was making it's way across the land, and Sakura didn't much like it. Night always made her worry, mainly because she connected them with Sasuke going on dangerous missions.

Sasuke. She'd thought about him a lot over however many days she'd been stuck with the older Uchiha (it felt like forever to her, but was really around two and a half days). She missed her fiancee. It'd been bad enough when he left her, but now she'd been torn away from him. Her nails dug into the bag just at the thought, hot tears forming behind her eyes as memories resurfaced to her mind. She hoped Sasuke would find her...hoped he was looking for her now, looking for any trace of her, and hoped when he did find her he'd really get to kill the bastard that walked next to her.

But...Itachi was coming off like he _couldn't _be killed. And what if he really _was_ immortal? What if there was no hope in getting his cursed existence off the planet. What would Sasuke do? Would he leave her again, leave her to chase some fantasy of revenging his clan? Theses questions only added to her troubles and the other ones that were piling up, she needed a distraction before she broke down in a frustrated, pathetic heap, only making her seem weak when she'd worked so hard to ensure she'd never be useless again.

"Could you at least tell me where we're going?" her voice cracked a bit, her previous thoughts making it hard to focus on keeping her composure perfect. Sakura really hated talking ti the man as such, hated treating him like something close to human. Her gaze was focused a head, she didn't even want to look at him, really she didn't give a damn about what he said. She just wanted to go home where she felt safe. This man...he made her feel so weak and unsure. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed his head turn a bit towards her.

"Somewhere around the Sound Village." he responded vaguely. She furrowed her brows a bit, clearly not satisfied with the answer that she didn't, but did, care about.

"Why? If my hunch is correct we're near the Mist Village. If you intended to go to the Sound, why come all the way here? Also chances are we'll be passing somewhere near Konoha, chances of you getting caught are dramatically increased, especially if they've sent out a team to try and find me, which I guarantee you they have," she paused for a moment and fumbled with the ring on her finger before speaking again, "besides the Sound village has suffered greatly without a strong leader to hold them together, what with Orochimaru's death. I don't possibly see what could be there." she remarked. Deep chuckles sent shivers down her spine, he may be laughing, but his laughs were humorless.

"You are indeed smart _Sakura-chan_." he mused, adding extra emphasis to her name, the ghost of a smirk hinting at the corners of his lips. Sakura's head jerked into his direction, her eyes settled into a deep glare.

"Don't call me _chan_, Uchiha." she hissed bitterly, her steps becoming heavier on the ground as she stomped over it in anger. This man was absolutely infuriating. And so far she'd only known him for a couple days. The more time she spent in his company, the more she just wanted to go home and curl up in herfiance's arms.

* * *

Sasuke sighed a bit as he headed back to his house, ANBU mask in hand, a tired look in his black eyes. One of the rookie ANBU on his team had made a mistake and blown the whole mission, for the most part. With some quick thinking Sasuke was able to ensure their mission was completed, it just took longer then he had wished. "I hope Sakura-chan isn't too worried." the Uchiha muttered with a sigh as he walked through the front door. No lights were on...how odd.

"Sakura-chan, I'm home!" he called out as he headed to their bedroom, his frown deepening as he found it missing a certain pink-haired woman. He searched the house, not finding any sign of her aside from her clothes from the night he'd left on the mission on the floor by the bed. Her ring was missing too, she wouldn't be careless enough to wear it on a mission...

He left the house and hurried over to the first place that came to mind, Naruto's house. Hinata answered the door, quickly inviting him in. "Naruto-kun, Sasuke-san wants to talk to you." she called out in a quiet voice. Soon the blonde man came into the room, a brow raised in confusion. Lets just say Sasuke wasn't really one to drop by at night, especially dressed in his ANBU garb.

"What's up?" he asked, his expression turning slightly worried.

"Have you seen Sakura-chan? She's not at home...and well..." he sighed a bit and ran a few fingers through his bangs, "it's not like her to not be at home." he said, sighing. The worry in his eyes was so unlike him, but it didn't surprise Naruto, Sakura had wormed her way quite deep into the Uchiha's heart ever since they got engaged. Naruto's worried look deepened a bit and he shook his head.

"No...come to think of it I haven't seen her for a couple days, I didn't think anything of it...but...lets go see if Ino-san has seen her." the blonde suggested, Sasuke nodded in agreement and the two took off.

Ino provided no luck, though she joined them as they went to various other people including Sai and Kakashi. No luck, so they went to the Hokage herself.

They explained the situation, worry etched over everyone's faces, Tsunade's was no exception. "This is quiet worrying. Sakura isn't one to just up and disappear like this...I can't think of any reason why, perhaps she went after you when you didn't come home Sasuke." the woman suggested. Sasuke shook his head.

"No, Sakura's ring is missing. She doesn't wear it in any situation where it could be damaged or lost, and she's not careless enough to forget to take it off." he said. Tsunade sighed a bit and laced her fingers together. This...this was not good. Sakura was one of Konoha's most valuable ninja, they couldn't stand to lose her, and only one idea came to everyone's mind.

She'd been kidnapped.

It was a rather logical theory, Sakura was a major asset to Konoha. She was the best medic nin next to Tsunade herself, and one of the best shinobi in the village. She had valuable information, and could easily be used to negotiate with, having personal ties with the best ninja in Konoha.

"Alright, we'll start gathering information asap. Sasuke, take Naruto and Sai and do a quick search for anything that could be helpful in and around Sasuke and Sakura's home. Regrettably we can't do much until morning when we've got more light, but I'll get word out that she's missing and inform other villages. Don't worry, we'll get her back." the woman said, forcing a smile.

They may get their precious cherry blossom back...but in what condition none of them knew.

* * *

**A/N: **Annnnd end chapter 3~

Homai, now we seem to be getting a little somewhere, Konoha (finally) figured out Sakura was missing, will they find her, and just what does Itachi have up his sleeves DUN DUN DUN?

Okay my dramatic moment was fail but yeah xDDD

Hope you enjoyed it 3 Remembers reviews make me a happy hobo |D


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